Cookbooks

 

Warning: DO NOT read this if you’re hungry.

Lauta, Silvena Johan. Food and Cooking in Bulgaria and Romania. Anness Publishing, 2011.

Hesitant to give Bulgarian cooking a go? It might be hard to resist after opening this vibrant cookbook. Filled with step-by-step instructions and an abundance of photos to help you along the way, this cookbook will make everyone want to be an aficionado of Bulgarian cuisine.

 

Bulgarian cuisine + American supermarket = this cookbook

Donev, Kathryn N. Cooking Traditions of Bulgaria. Createspace, 2012.

By basing her recipes around American ingredients and Bulgarian customs, Donev makes it easy to keep the Balkan tradition alive just by taking a trip to your local grocery store. Her dual American and Bulgarian perspective shows her readers that they need not sacrifice convenience for authenticity.

 

Popular Works

 

Need to plan a Bulgarian mean to wow your guests?

“Bulgaria: National Cuisine.” Global Road Warrior™, World Trade Press. http://www.globalroadwarrior.com.

Planning a five course Bulgarian meal but have no idea where to begin? Global Road Warrior provides several classic Bulgarian dishes for each course along the way. In addition to its overview of Bulgarian cuisine, the site offers valuable resources for anyone traveling to Bulgaria or simply wanting to learn more.

 

Try to resist buying a plane ticket after reading this…

Bozhinov, Todor. “7 Bulgarian Food Classics You Cannot Afford to Miss.” Kashkaval Tourist, 20 June 2017, http://www.kashkaval-tourist.com/7-bulgarian-food-classics/.

This dynamic tourism blog holds valuable insight for anyone curious about Bulgarian culture and cuisine. Written by a native Bulgarian, its clear and accessible information makes it easy for anyone to romanticize about life in the Balkans.

 

Travel to Bulgaria at the click of a mouse!

Sandra. “Bulgarian Harvest.” When in Bulgaria, 8 Oct. 2016, wheninbulgaria.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/bulgarian-harvest/.

Although this blog hold similarities to Todor’s, it adds dimension to the cultural conversation seeing as though it is written by a Swede living in Bulgaria. She brings her readers along with her to visit the Valley of Roses and witness a dance on fire. She also describes the traditional Bulgarian Christmas table and explains the history of the country’s most popular (and strongest) drink: rakia.

 

Scholarly Works

 

Figure out exactly what Balkan food entails!

Berkoff, Nancy. “Balkan Cuisine.” Vegetarian Journal, vol. 23, no. 1, Feb. 2004, pp. 14-17. EBSCOhost.

Although each country has cultural uniquenesses of its own, the Balkans’ shared climates and intertwined histories have created traditional dishes common to all. In this journal, Berkoff explains how the countries’ harsh climates have created a traditionally hearty cuisine. This explanation is followed by several recipes for staples of Balkan cuisine.

 

Would you believe me if I told you microflora is a good thing?

Todorova, Elena. “Bulgaria: The Curious Case of… the Bulgarian Regulation on the Specific Requirements for Dairy Products.” European Food and Feed Law Review, vol. 8, no. 1, 2013, pp. 58–59. JSTOR, JSTOR.

Ask anyone who has spent any amount of time in Bulgaria about their diet and you are bound to hear one thing: they ate their fair share of yogurt. Not only is it a staple in Bulgarian cuisine, yogurt is said to have originated in Bulgaria itself. This journal explores just how important yogurt is to the Bulgarian diet and explains the measures the Food Safety Agency has taken to ensure its microflora is properly employed.

 

Where does Bulgaria fit in the world market?

Blagoew, Dimitar, Nikolay Sterev, and Diana Kopeva. “Bulgarian Food Industry Growth and Trade with Bric Countries.” American Council of Trustees and Alumni, ISSN 1644-0757, Sept. 2011, pp. 13-24.

Not surprisingly, many foreign countries are eager to import food from the favorable climates and fertile soils of Bulgaria. Take a trip on the technical side with this article to examine how the Bulgarian food market is set to be on the rise.

 

Videos on Bulgarian Cuisine

 

Bulgaria and culture and cuisine– oh my!

Bulgarian Travel. “Bulgaria.” Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 3 April 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jen0xARe-Q. Web. 23 January 2018.

In this video, we are allowed insight into just how deeply Bulgarian food is intertwined with the country’s culture. By highlighting several traditionals centered around dining and drinking, this video takes us along on a cultural exploration of the Balkan.

 

Explore what makes Bulgarian food unlike anything else.

Bulgarian Travel. “Bulgarian Cuisine and Drinks.” Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 23 August 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8AwD6tnrKc. Web. 23 January 2018.

After diving into the cultural insight the prior video provides, this clip allows us a more specific look into Bulgarian cuisine. An emphasis is placed on the the countries vivid spices and unique regional culinary rules. It also explores the country’s rich wine culture.

 

To Bulgaria and back in four minutes!

IA Fitness. “10 Foods You Need to Try if You Visit Bulgaria!.” Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 24 March 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIJAfu_7uUI. Web. 23 January 2018.

This light-hearted video provides an overarching look inside some of the most popular traditional Bulgarian dishes– in less than four minutes. This speedy overview of cuisine provides a glimpse into some of the country’s most prominent meals.  Not only are the key ingredients in each dish highlighted, the video also provides useful insight into their regional origins and popularity as well.